River bank erosion at park on city's agenda

COLUMBIA CITY — The Columbia City Common Council will hear a report on erosion at Morsches Park at its regular meeting tonight.
Gene Haskins of the Whitley County Soil and Water Conservation District is scheduled to deliver his annual storm water report to the council.
In his presentation, Haskins will report that the Blue River in the park has been the subject of several studies to determine if there are solutions to the continued disintegration of the eastern bank and to seek ways to prevent further erosion parallel to the park’s drive.
Haskins reports that “officials from the Federal Natural Resource Conservation Service and the GeoWeb Corporation reviewed current conditions and made recommendations.”
Haskins said cost constraints have delayed any decisions regarding the issue.
He is scheduled to tell the board that the county’s drainage board has also been involved in the issue since that panel has a “jurisdictional obligation to maintain unobstructed flow of the Blue River.”
Also on the agenda for tonight’s meeting is a Whitley County Economic Development Commission reappointment.